Please list your top 5 (or more) hip hop albums. I’m looking for a list of definitive rap records.

Thanks!

It Takes A Nation of Millions To Hold Us Back -- Public Enemy . . . IMHO, the greatest hip-hop album of all time. Its importance on the genre cannot be overstated. So good it belongs in the conversation of greatest pop albums of all time, period.


Blowout Comb -- Digable Planets . . . A poetic, thoughtful, and forward-thinking record with complex rhymes and dope beats. The Digables too often get pegged as a "novelty" act because of "Cool Like Dat," but these were serious, even dogmatic, artists. Turns by Jeru The Damaja, Primier (on the boards), and none other than Mos Def (in a brief cameo) help it along. From "May 4th Movement" to "Four Corners," it's excellent.


The Low End Theory -- A Tribe Called Quest . . . Trailblazing in so many ways . . . one of the first albums to incorporate jazz musicians into the sound, was among the greatest albums of hip-hop's golden age (88-94, IMHO).


Madvillainy -- Madvillain . . . Takes the essential elements of hip-hop -- dope beats, nice rhymes, and an imaginative concept -- and reinvents them for the 21st century. Actually makes no bones about the fact that it is a work of fiction, but it's closer to reality than many of the so-called hit-pop albums that scream they "keep it real."


Death Certificate -- Ice Cube . . . I could have picked dozens of records to round out this list, but this is the best and most comprehensive of all the West Coast "gangsta" albums.
[Edited 5/1/06 12:42pm]

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[Edited 5/1/06 12:53pm]

[Edited 5/1/06 13:01pm]

Thanks so much! I got some Best Buy gift certificates from a client and I can't wait to go shopping! Perhaps not all of these will be available at a big chain like Best Buy, but I've gotten some great ideas.

Keep 'em coming!!!

1. Things Fall Apart The ROOTS

2. Me Against the World 2Pac

3. Death Certificate Ice Cube

4. Jesus Wept PM Dawn

5. One day it will all make sense Common

gcu1 said:

How linear of you...

Wu Tang Clan - Enter The 36 Chambers
Slick Rick - The Great Adventures of Slick Rick
The Last Poets - The Last Poets
Das EFX - Dead Serious
Jeru The Damaja - The Sun Rises in the East

gcu1 said:

These are near the top of my list too.

1.Blazing Arrow-Blackalicious
2.It takes a nation of millions to hold us back-Public Enemy
3.Quality Control-Jurassic 5
4.Paid In Full-Eric B. and Rakim
5.Nia-Blackalicious

Everyone has listed some on-point picks!

Thee most Pro Black Rap album ever. R.I.P. Professor X.

The 1st time we heard "skits" and the 1st time we saw cross-promotion with a label's artists (Jungle Brothers & A Tribe Called Quest)

Before there was the overhyped Eminem, these white cats threw down.

The 1st Party-Rap band and the 1st to introduce an alter ego as well (Humpty).

One of the 1st Rap-Jazz albums, that also blew up.

4 of the 5 were from the Tommy Boy stables. Impressive as hell.
[Edited 5/1/06 17:01pm]

lilgish said:

Must I be so linear....going from A to B to C?

I'm never going to make it into the Q Continuum

gcu1

GangstaFam said:

Got any love for "Paul's Boutique?"

gcu1

My Top 6

#1 Run DMC - Raisin Hell


#2 Wu-Tang Clan - Enter the 36 Chambers


#3 Method Man - Tical (Meth vs. Chef!)


#4 Raekwon - Only Built 4 Cuban Linx


#5 Gravediggaz - Six Feet Deep


#6 Snoop Doggy Dogg - Doggystyle

how come I'm always late on threads like this? and how come you guys always forget about Brand Nubian on threads like this?

ok, here's a few I wouldn't wann be missing from my collection but didn't see listed yet






ohh... and this one

Dancelot said:

Two of the very best. Much respect for mentioning the JBeez' criminally overlooked jewel.

Brand Nubian is never forgotten, my friend. Each of the 3 MCs had lyrical skills, they were backed by pure soul beats, and they had a serious message. I didn't dig all the Five Percent theology, and thought that their message on women was hypocritical at times, but they're one of the best groups the genre has ever seen, miles ahead of most of the 'hit-pop" groups out today.


They were such a good unit that even when Puba left, Sadat and Jamar made a standout LP on their own:


[Edited 5/2/06 10:06am]

gcu1 said:

Sure. But I love 90's Beasties by far the most.

GangstaFam said:

Nothing compares to those big fat 90s sound productions!

gcu1

gcu1 said:

Am I the only one who loves this record?

GangstaFam said:

You are not alone! I wasn't sure at first because it was a lot cleaner and crisper than "Check Your Head" & "Ill Communication," which are very dirty and raw. It wasn't long though before I was hooked.

I still haven't heard "To The 5 Boroughs." Is it any good?

Have you ever heard DJ Hurricane's CD called "The Hurra"? I think it came out in 1996.

gcu1

I am convinced Hello Nasty is better than Check Your Head or Ill Communication.

CinisterCee said:

What's your order of B-Boy albums?

Love good hip hop

In no order really:

Run D.M.C. - Raising Hell
Public Enemy - It Takes A Nation of Millions...
Boogie Down Productions - Criminal Minded
A Tribe Called Quest - The Low End Theory
Raekwon - Only Built 4 Cuban Linx

As usual I couldn't help but post some honorable mentions:

A Tribe Called Quest - Midnight Marauders
Brand Nubian - One For All
De La Soul - 3 Feet High & Rising
N.W.A. - Straight Outta Compton
Digable Planets - Blowout Comb
The Notorious B.I.G. - Ready To Die
EPMD - Strictly Business
Souls of Mischief - '93 Til Infinity
[Edited 5/2/06 20:06pm]

GangstaFam said:

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 17.